Moldova 1 cameraman freed

Dinu Mija, a cameraman with the state-owned TV station Moldova 1, was released yesterday after being held for seven days in the self-proclaimed Republic of Trans-Dniester. ________________________ 08.09.2004 Cameraman jailed in Transnistria Reporters Without Borders expressed deep concern after cameraman Dinu Mija, of Moldova 1 public television was arrested on 6 September by police in Tighina in the self-proclaimed Transnistrian republic and sentenced to 15 days in prison. The international press freedom organisation called on Russia, Ukraine, the European Union, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe to respond to an appeal from the Moldovan authorities to use their influence to secure Mija's release. A Moldova 1 colleague, Ludmila Moraru, who was present at the time, said that a crew from the TV channel were in a railway station occupied by separatists, when around a dozen men in plain clothes surrounded them and ordered them to produce their identity documents. A struggle broke out and Mija was manhandled and his camera badly damaged. The men then forced him into a vehicle and drove off. Late in the evening, police in the self-proclaimed republic informed the management of Moldova 1 that Mija had been sentenced to 15 days in prison for not having any accreditation and illegally crossing the border. However the cameraman had accreditation and no document is officially needed to enter the region.